How Rovanpera has reignited Finland's rallying obsession

Rally cars launching over jumps while blasting through Finnish forest roads is for many the iconic image that the World Rally Championship conjures, such is the legend created by Rally Finland.

Finland and rallying go hand in hand. It’s a relationship that has blossomed since the inaugural event in 1951. The event’s current “more than a rally” tagline is an apt one, as rallying is a national obsession that's now entering a new chapter thanks to the nation’s latest superstar, Kalle Rovanpera.

Finland has a rich history in rallying and, despite a population of just 5.5 million, it has produced six world champions who have claimed 13 titles between them - which equates to 30% of all world championship crowns since the drivers’ title was introduced in 1979.

However, it’s been 20 years since this rally-mad country has crowned a world champion, when Marcus Gronholm lifted a second world title in 2002. In the intervening period, where Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier have dominated, Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikko Hirvonen have come the closest for Finland, each finishing runner-up three and four times respectively.

One could imagine that a two-decade drought for a nation that lists rallying among its most cherished sports could result in its popularity dwindling. That couldn’t be further from the truth - as last weekend’s Rally Finland can attest. The rise of Rovanpera has certainly reignited the passion among locals. Thousands of fans descended on Jyvaskyla to support the 21-year-old destined to become the youngest-ever world champion this year. More than 20,000 air horn equipped and flag waving fans packed into the rally’s short super special in the city on Thursday night as the event kicked off in some style.

Fans have been clamouring to meet new hero Rovanpera

Photo by: Toyota

Those that had purchased tickets to enter the service park waited in six-deep crowds around Rovanpera’s service bay, in the hope of catching a glimpse of the new WRC wonder kid. The service park was also reminiscent of the fan parks that pop up for major international football tournaments, thanks to organisers placing a giant television screen at the top of the facility, where crowds could gather to watch all the action if they hadn’t ventured out to the stages.

Such is the excitement from the locals surrounding Rovanpera, a fan arena was named after him at the Sahloinen-Moksi stage. But perhaps most interestingly, Rovanpera’s success seems to have connected with a new, younger generation of fans, bringing fresh interest into rallying. Many were clad in Kalle Rovanpera’s new bespoke clothing range.

"I felt it would be nice to keep going with this process to keep the heritage of rallying for the younger people, so they can learn what happened in the past. We've even had school visits to the museum" Jari-Matti Latvala

The crowds following Rovanpera in the service park were mirrored on the stages, creating a cacophony of cheers, chants and air horns every time he blasted by in his GR Yaris. This rock star welcome was not lost on Rovanpera.

“It was really amazing, seeing all the videos and clips from the stages, people cheering so much for us, so much support,” he said.

“It gives you a bit of extra motivation to try and give a good fight for them and, like we did on Saturday, I think everybody was enjoying us pushing hard and trying to catch up. Still today we tried our best, still pushing a bit on the powerstage and I hope everybody liked that.”

Hugely enthusiastic crowds flocked to the event, despite Rovanpera missing out on a home win

Photo by: Toyota

Certainly, the noise from the stages was transferred to the service park as crowds reacted to the live action on big screens, while the cheers from the podium could be heard in the media room several hundred metres away, despite Rovanpera finishing second to Hyundai’s Ott Tanak.

PLUS: How Tanak spoiled Rovanpera's Finnish homecoming

The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions helped attendances rocket to pre-pandemic numbers, but it appears rallying is in much ruder health thanks to Rovanpera’s success. Finland’s rich history in rallying ensures the discipline holds a high ranking when it comes to spectator sports, and this level of interest is reciprocated in Rally Finland’s promotion.

The rally is broadcast in its entirety on pay television, and free-to-air television via YLE, Finland’s national broadcaster. YLE revealed on Monday that 5.5 million hours of Rally Finland coverage was consumed via its online streaming platform, which equates to the country’s entire population watching at least one hour of coverage.

Such is the demand, Rally Finland receives a broadcasting package similar to the model Sky Sports employs with its Formula 1 broadcast in the UK. A pop-up studio is located in the rally’s service park, where former WRC driver Hirvonen is tasked with being a pundit to analyse every moment across the four days of action. It’s reminiscent of the WRC’s heyday on British television (BBC and Channel 4) from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s.

Of course, this rekindled love for rallying is largely down to Rovanpera’s success, but it stems from a rich heritage for the discipline, which is carefully preserved and shared among the community. The rally’s long-time host venue Jyvaskyla, the nation’s third largest city, is a place steeped in rally history, and is also the location of the Toyota WRC team’s base. Having one of the three WRC manufacturers based in the region certainly acts as a catalyst in driving support for rally.

However, a trip 130 kilometres west from Jyvaskyla provides perhaps the best example of how Finland preserves its rally heritage and uses its history to educate and inform new fans. The small town of Tuuri is home to Latvala Motorsport - the premises owned by Rovanpera’s Toyota boss and former WRC driver Jari-Matti Latvala. Inside this facility is a museum that aims to share his passion for rallying with the public.

Latvala is helping educate fans about rallying's history

Photo by: Tom Howard

Inside the museum, there's a collection of iconic rally cars, from a 1970s Sunbeam Avenger to the iconic Toyota Celica GT-4 from the early 1990s. For the rally nut, it's a slice of heaven, but to the casual fan it’s an opportunity to understand the sport. The building is rammed full of rally memorabilia, Latvala’s own trophies and even panels from the cars he’s crashed, which are props that Latvala uses to help tell the story of his career.

At the rear of the facility is Latvala’s own motorsport workshop where he preserves historic rally cars, which he races in selected events. While the cars serve a purpose in fuelling Latvala’s passion for competition, the workshop is also a vehicle for preserving machines of the past.

“What's nice is that we've had quite a lot of people visiting over the years now,” says Latvala. “Thanks to the success I've had in rallying that has been bringing people here. And today, for example, we had some people from the Czech Republic that came over to visit.

Rally Finland was again proof that this remains the spiritual home for rallying - a title that looks set to stick for another generation thanks to Rovanpera

“I love rally cars. I felt it would be nice to keep going with this process to keep the heritage of rallying for the younger people, so they can learn what happened in the past. We've even had school visits to the museum."

Museums that preserve history and re-tell stories to new generations have surely helped ensure rallying remains front of mind when it comes to Finnish sport.

And last weekend’s Rally Finland was again proof that this remains the spiritual home for rallying - a title that looks set to stick for another generation, thanks to Rovanpera, who threatens to bring Finland back to the very forefront of the WRC.

Rovanpera is aiming to end Finland's 20-year wait for a WRC champion

Photo by: Toyota